Book Review – “Fred Korematsu Speaks Up”

I want to tell you about a small jewel of a book that a friend called to my attention last weekend. It tells the story of one of the darkest chapters in American history — a time when our nation succumbed to mindless fear and unbounded hysteria and abandoned our most fundamental and cherished values, all in the name of a wolf’s call of “military necessity.” Written by Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi, “Fred Korematsu Speaks Up,” published by Heyday in Oakland, Calif., is a paean to an unlikely hero who found himself swept away into the jaws of history where he would ultimately find resurrection and redemption. While the book is written as a civil rights primer for middle schoolers, its lessons are timeless and end up resonating far beyond the borders of its intended audience.

In 1941, Fred Korematsu was a 22-year-old unrepentant dreamer who yearned to break out of the claustrophobic world of his family’s flower nursery business. His most pressing life goals were to marry his Italian American girlfriend, Ida, and settle down.

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The Hawaii Herald’s name has been connected with several different publications since Hawaii Hochi founder Fred Kinzaburo Makino first came up with it in October 1942. The Herald’s comprehensive and varied coverage chronicles the past achievements, current concerns and future aspirations of its distinguished community.